With Hurricane Ian making a line for Florida, the time is now to be storm ready. Family Support Services offers the following tips to keep everyone in your home safe during hurricane season:
- Stay vigilant and follow local news stations, the FL Division of Emergency Management, and the National Hurricane Center on social media for updates.
- Know if you’re in a flood zone: Check with FEMA to understand your risk.
- Have an evacuation plan: Check the maps for Duval and Nassau counties to find your evacuation zone and routes.
- Have a pet plan: Service animals and pets need appropriate evacuation plans just like you. If you must evacuate your home, take your pets and service animals with you. Please keep in mind that most public shelters do not accept pets but do allow service animals. Go to FloridaDisaster.org to find special medical needs shelters, pet-friendly shelters, and what to do if you can’t find a shelter near you.
- Medications: Refill your necessary medications now or make sure you have at least two weeks’ worth of your medicine on hand. Keep a list of medications taken by you and members of your household and keep everything in water-tight containers. Keep ice or coolers for refrigerated medications.
- Water and food: In the likely event of a hurricane impact, you need at least 1 gallon of water per person, per day. You should plan for at least a 3-day supply of food and water per person (and don’t forget your pet).
- Electronics: Review your battery supplies, flashlights and car charger cables for your cellphones, cigarette-lighter style car chargers and check if all USB connectors work in your car.
- Make sure you have enough gasoline for your car and/or generator: Keep your tank close to full the next few days.
- Clean up your yard or patio: If you have items that could be pushed around by high winds — including lawn chairs, garbage cans and potted plants — you will want these to be stored away by Wednesday.
